Schoenberg, the executive director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, N.Y., traveled with two helpers to Malta this week to retrieve the delicate media. It will be transferred to the museum – an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution – and digitized.

Around 3 p.m. Thursday, Schoenberg, musician Kevin Cerovich and jazz record producer Scott Wenzel had inventoried 765 records, they said. They began the process Monday.

The records are the life work of the late Bill Savory, a recording engineer who made every effort to save jazz performances of the “Big Band Era” in the 1930s and beyond, said his son, Eugene Desavouret, 61. Savory also recorded historical conversations with other musical engineers to ensure that the details of technical progress would be available to everyone.

“Personally, I just want these to be out of my house and into somebody’s ears,” Desavouret said Thursday, with a laugh.

Leaving behind a carefully labeled and well-taken-care-of legacy of his music, compositions and instrumental arrangements, Savory died in 2004. His nearly 1,000 original records, as well as audio tapes, were recovered from his estate in Falls Church, Va., his son said.

The collection includes many never-before-heard arrangements by American jazz musician Benny Goodman, who enthusiasts know as the “King of Swing.” Recordings of singer and songwriter Billie Holiday also are included in the mix, as well as historical speeches by former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Wenzel said.

“You can happen upon collections, here and there, but these are unreleased recordings,” Wenzel, 50, said, adding that most of the work was recorded before 1941, when Savory was in his late teens and early 20s. “No one knew these even existed.”

Schoenberg had an idea they existed, he said, and first asked Savory about the sound bites in 1980. He’d been wondering about them ever since.

Schoenberg said he planned to drive the recordings – he calls them the “cream of the crop” – to New York on Thursday night in a moving truck. That way “they do not leave my sight,” he said.

“If I had found just five of these discs, it would have created a stir,” Schoenberg said. “In essence, there’s no genre of the arts that won’t be affected by this collection. These are just a bunch of messy old boxes until you rescue them.”

In 1998, songwriter Wally Gold died in a New Jersey hospital (age 70). Wrote "It's My Party," a hit for Lesley Gore and "It's Now or Never," a hit for Elvis Presley. Member of late 50's group The Four Esquires, produced Kansas & Gene Pitney.

History:

Bill Haley recorded "Shake, Rattle & Roll" in 1954.

The Rolling Stones made their British TV debut on "Thank Your Lucky Stars" in 1963.

The Rolling Stones' first record, "Come On," was released in 1963.

During their first ever US tour in 1964, the Rolling Stones were booed off stage at a gig in San Antonio, Texas. Some performing monkeys, who had been the act on before the Stones, were brought back on stage for another performance.

Roy Orbison's wife, Claudette was killed in a motorcycle accident near Nashville in 1966.

In 1968, Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane all appeared for the first of a three night run at the Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, California.

Supergroup Blind Faith, featuring Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood, made their live debut at a free concert in London's Hyde Park in 1969.

Also in 1969, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell both appeared on the first ABC TV Johnny Cash Show from Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

The Who performed “Tommy” at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House in 1970. The show was the first time The Who played this venue and the last time they perform “Tommy” in its entirety for nearly two decades.

Don McLean recorded "Vincent" in 1971.

The musical, "Grease" opens on Broadway in 1972.

Elton John's album 'Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboys,' went to #1 on the US album chart in 1975, the first album ever to enter the US chart at #1.

John Denver went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1975 with "Thank God I'm A Country Boy," the singers third US #1.

In 1969, Chuck Berry pled guilty to income tax evasion and was sentenced to 120 days in federal prison.

Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion was opened to the public in 1982.

Madonna went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1986 with "Live To Tell," her third US #1 single.

In 1987, David Bowie played a concert in West Berlin in front of the Reichstag with the speakers pointing towards the nearby Berlin Wall where thousands of young East Berliners stood and listened.

The ground breaking ceremony was held for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, OH in 1993.

In 1995, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood was admitted to hospital after his ear was leaking blood. The problem was diagnosed as his arm movement from continuous guitar playing.

In 2002, Virgin Records announced they had dropped Victoria Beckham after her debut solo album, which cost over $5.1 million to make, had sold only 50,000 copies.

In 2004, Metallica nabbed the "Best International Act" honor and The Darkness wins the "Best Video" trophy for their "Love Is Only a Feeling" clip at the second annual “Metal Hammer Golden God Awards,” held in London.

2007, The funeral of guitarist, singer Bo Diddley took place in Gainesville, Florida in 2007. Many in attendance chanted "Hey Bo Diddley" shortly after family members had passed by his coffin as a gospel band played Bo Diddley's music. At the service, they presented a floral tribute in form of his trademark square guitar.

Paul McCartney played a surprise concert at a club in London in 2007 to celebrate the release of 'Memory Almost Full.' He performed new stuff, old stuff and even Beatles tunes. Jeff Beck and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour were in the audience.

3 Doors Down were at #1 on the US album chart in 2008 with their self titled second US #1.

During the encore at the Foo Fighters' concert at London's Wembley Stadium in 2008, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones come onstage for renditions of Zep’s "Rock & Roll" and "Ramble On.” "This is the greatest f-in’ night in our band’s life," Grohl tells the audience.